If You See Someone Wearing One of These, Be VERY CAREFUL What You Say Around Them!

Of all the questions that have been asked since Wednesday morning when Donald Trump was declared to be the winner of the presidential election – questions by Democrats as to how their party rebuilds, questions by supporters who were unprepared for the loss, and questions by the candidate herself asking what went wrong – possibly the one question Americans shouldn’t have to be asking is: What does a device used to secure diapers around the midsection of babies have to do with… the presidency?

Why are news media sources covering the new safety pin as accessory trend in between screeds against the president-elect and rumors about his potential cabinet picks?

Is it a fashion statement? A return to the days of Johnny Rotten and punk rock? A problem with seams holding in cheap “Made in China” clothing?

It turns out the fad – wearing a safety pin on your shirt – is just the simplistic and literal choice of a symbol adopted by simplistic people unable to engage in respectful and informed dialogue with anyone who thinks differently than they do.

The safety pin as political statement is being worn, according to those sporting it, as a social cue. It says, “You are safe with me,” to everyone who has been rendered idiotic by the election of a 70-year-old businessman from Queens.

The idea, evidently, is that any African-American, Latino, Muslim, LGBTQ, woman or member of any other group sliced and diced into a distinct voting bloc by the Democrat party, upset about Trump’s win can spot a kindred spirit, a human “safe” zone by the “safe-ty” pin and be reassured.